Chapter 85: Impeaching the Princess (Please Subscribe)

“Please rest assured, Lord Situ. If I were not confident, would I have dared let the Crown Prince stay here?” Fang Xian replied with a smile, nodding gently. “However, there are still a few matters I must trouble you with.” As he spoke, he handed Situ Xun a lengthy list of medicinal ingredients, instructing him to return to the Imperial Medical Bureau and have them gathered and delivered.

The Imperial Medical Bureau boasted ten immense storerooms, stocked with thousands of medicinal materials sourced from all across the continent, including a great many rare and precious herbs. On the list Fang Xian provided, there were as many as seven to eight hundred items, more than a hundred of which were rare and valuable, and each required in varying quantities.

Of course, Fang Xian did not truly need all of these materials for the Crown Prince’s treatment. Some were for his own use, to prepare extraordinary pills such as the Life-Prolonging Elixir, the Hundred-Poison Pill, the Barrier-Breaking Pill, and the Blood Pact Pill, all of which required rare ingredients. Were Fang Xian to seek out these herbs on his own, the cost would surely reach hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of taels of silver—assuming he could even find them. Not to mention the time it would consume. Thus, treating the Crown Prince offered the perfect opportunity to access the royal reserves and obtain these precious materials.

Situ Xun did not press for details; he too hoped Fang Xian would cure the Crown Prince, for only then could he and the other imperial physicians escape blame. He returned to the Bureau at once, summoned his colleagues, and dispatched them to gather the required herbs.

Fang Xian’s treatment would employ a foundational herbal bath, combined with acupuncture, decoctions, and mysterious energies, to heal the Crown Prince. Of course, had he possessed a genuine Life-Prolonging Elixir, a single dose would suffice. But he had no such pill, and the lesser version was not potent enough. Even if he did have the true elixir, Fang Xian might not have used it; such an easy and miraculous cure would only draw endless trouble.

That night, a steady stream of medicinal materials arrived at the clinic. Fang Xian summoned a dozen imperial physicians, instructing them in processing the herbs, greatly saving his own time.

The next day, the Crown Prince arrived, escorted and accompanied by the Princess Royal. Even the Crown Princess came, bringing their two children as well, for Fang Xian had already given the Princess Royal some detoxifying pills the previous day, making her immune to the prince’s lingering illness.

“Fei’er, Xia’er, greet Master Fang,” the Crown Princess instructed her children as soon as they saw Fang Xian. Her own status made it inappropriate for her to bow, but the children were not so restricted.

“Thank you, sir, for saving our father’s life,” the children said, having been tutored in their manners by their mother, and respectfully saluted Fang Xian.

“The royal grandchildren need not be so formal. In the days ahead, remember to behave well in your father’s presence; it will aid in his recovery,” Fang Xian said kindly, helping them to their feet.

“We shall remember your teachings, Master Fang,” the children replied with grace beyond their years.

“Crown Princess, rest assured. I shall do everything in my power to restore the Crown Prince to health,” Fang Xian promised her.

“We place our trust in you,” she replied, then led her children to the small courtyard.

Fang Xian explained his treatment plan to the Princess Royal and the Crown Prince, so they would understand and have no doubts. He then gave the Crown Prince a small Hundred-Poison Pill, after which the medicinal bath began. Once that was done, he performed acupuncture, employing mysterious energies to drive out toxins and protect the prince’s internal organs.

The treatment ended, and the Crown Prince coughed up three mouthfuls of foul blood, but his spirits seemed to lift afterward. The Princess Royal, initially anxious, was relieved to see Wu Yunxiao’s cheeks regain their color.

“Thank you, Master Fang. I feel much lighter now, as though a weight that had pressed on me for years has finally lifted. Your treatment is indeed effective,” Wu Yunxiao said gratefully.

“No need for thanks, Your Highness. Keep your mood cheerful—this is vital for your recovery,” Fang Xian advised with a smile.

“My worries have faded now. His Majesty has granted permission for me to relinquish my title as Crown Prince, and I am at ease. For now, I must trouble you with my presence,” Wu Yunxiao said with a gentle laugh.

And so, the Princess Royal Wu Qingluan and the former Crown Prince Wu Yunxiao took up residence in the rear courtyard of the clinic. Each day, Fang Xian tended to his treatment and recuperation. The prince’s health steadily improved, and his spirits revived.

Meanwhile, the flow of patients to the clinic did not lessen. For ordinary cases, Fang Xian entrusted the imperial physicians like Situ Xun to handle them, while he reserved his attention for the most complex and difficult illnesses.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed. Fang Xian had now been in Wudu for a month, tirelessly treating the ill. His reputation in the city soared, spreading through traveling merchants across Wu and even to the other four kingdoms. By now, he had accumulated more than fifty thousand fame points.

Moreover, he cultivated day and night, and his physical strength had broken through previous limits, reaching the level of a Grandmaster. While the mysterious energy within him was not yet fully saturated, it was already the equal of a true Grandmaster.

Before coming to Wudu, Fang Xian had only managed to fight the gravely injured Tang Zhi with the help of the Meteor Sword. Now, even without that weapon, he had the confidence to face an uninjured Tang Zhi head-on. In other words, he had reached the strength of an average Grandmaster.

On this day, the court assembled for the grand audience. Wu Qingluan, her face alight with joy, entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony and joined the ranks of the princes at the front, for her brother’s improving health had lifted her spirits.

The chief eunuch, Zhang Zhili, announced the start of court. The ministers all knelt in obeisance, and the princes bowed with clasped hands. “Long live the Emperor! May he live ten thousand years!”

“Rise, my loyal subjects,” Emperor Wu Qing said with a smile, raising his hand.

“Present your business if you have any. If not, you are dismissed,” Zhang Zhili called out in his shrill voice.

“Your Majesty,” said Left Chancellor Lu Zhiyun, stepping forward with his ivory scepter. “I have a memorial concerning the strengthening of our military forces. I request Your Majesty’s review.”

“Present it here,” the emperor nodded. In truth, he had already read the memorial and discussed it with Lu Zhiyun, Right Chancellor Gong Guoliang, Minister of War Chen Lin, and others. Today was merely an opportunity to formally address the matter in court.

Once Lu Zhiyun’s proposal was settled, Right Chancellor Gong Guoliang rose to report on matters of public welfare, also as a formality. Other issues were quickly decided as well.

“Does anyone else have business to present?” After about an hour, all matters were resolved, and Emperor Wu Qing asked with a smile.

This was usually the moment when ministers would raise unexpected issues—the moment the emperor most enjoyed. He did not wish for harmony among his ministers; conflict was a sign of healthy governance.

“Your Majesty, I have heard that the civil war in Zhou to the east has ended, and now they are sharpening their blades to invade our land. Yet the Marshal of the Flying Phoenix Army, who guards the east, is not even a Grandmaster. How can he command respect? I propose that the marshal be replaced by someone more capable.”

As expected, Li Shanghua, Deputy Minister of War, stepped forward and raised his voice, stirring an immediate uproar among the assembled officials. Only half a month ago, he had petitioned the same matter—now, once again, he was targeting the Princess Royal.